Yes.
Evidence of meeting #13 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was company.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #13 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was company.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Around about the same time, that fateful week or period of time in September--
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
--Mr. Baird and Mr. Jaffer had a dinner. Was that ever, at any point in time, discussed with you?
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
No. I had no idea.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
No. I had no idea whatsoever.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
You know nothing that occurred. It was not part of what you were doing.
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
No. I had no idea that Mr. Jaffer met with Mr. Baird at all.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Okay.
In your opening remarks, I think, you talked about the e-mail of September 11--that you were probably overly enthusiastic. Right?
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
Which is to say the least, but yes, okay.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Okay.
What was the statement based on that made you so enthusiastic?
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
You know, I was excited. I mean, we had met, we had agreed that we were going to form an alliance whereby they would deal with every company that I brought to the table that had a potential to be funded by government; they would take on and take to the right people.... There was no underhandedness to that.
There are many companies you deal with that deal with specific industries or are better at one industry over another, and you take projects to them and they deal with them. What would have happened after that? I don't know.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Okay.
Did Mr. Jaffer report to you on any other meetings or conversations that he may have had with cabinet ministers or parliamentary secretaries?
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
So there were three proposals that went forward to Mr. Jean--
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
The only proposal I know about that went anywhere was the Green Rite proposal, because I was copied on an e-mail coming back with the comments from the federal government. That's it.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
And that you're going to provide to the committee?
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
I want to talk about Mr. Prentice. You're saying that you have no knowledge of RPL...RLP Energy?
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
None. I met with RLP directly as an introduction from Glémaud and Jaffer and I was looking to get it funded through a VC.
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
I had no idea that the deal had been taken anywhere else and I didn't really care. It wasn't important to me.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Yes, okay.
On that information, I believe, there was a contact.... What were your contact e-mail addresses and the phone numbers that Mr. Jaffer used to stay in touch with you? Was it a parliamentary e-mail address?
3:45 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, International Strategic Investments
No. I believe it was Green Power Generation, Rahim Jaffer. Again, I've made it clear to the committee that originally I was going to show up here with every piece of correspondence, from day one when I met him to now, to ensure that there was complete disclosure. If there's anything the committee would like in regard to that, I'd be happy to provide it.